Belle Vue Speedway is one of the country’s most historic motorsport venues. It first opened its gates in 1923 and was originally conceived as a means of bringing the community together. It originally consisted of a dirt track but was later paved for use as a motorsport and speedway venue. It is named after Sir William (Billy) Vickers, who was a Welsh industrialist and owner of a steel mill in the Rhondda Valley. Although its heyday as a speedway venue lasted only until 1932, it has continued to host events ever since. It is most famous for being the venue of the 1929 and 1930 British Grand Prix. Sadly, only a handful of these historic races are still held there each year as it has fallen on hard times. In fact, it has been 25 years since the last British Grand Prix was held there. These days, the majority of the events which take place at Belle Vue are centred on vintage cars and motorbikes, as well as traditional foot racing events. The venue still holds a special place in the hearts of all things motoring fanatics.
Can Belle Vue Speedway Bring Back The Days Of Classic Racing?
With the outbreak of World War II, the economy in the United Kingdom took a sharp turn for the worse. This resulted in many factories, including those that produced automobiles, being placed on indefinite temporary shutdown. It wasn’t only factories that suffered though, as the demand from the public for new cars plummeted. It was during this dark time that many iconic cars were lost forever, either through wear and tear or being scrapped due to lack of demand. This affected certain iconic car brands particularly hard. BMW’s and Mercedes-Benz’s had no choice but to cease production, while other companies, including Alfa Romeo, exhibited a remarkable knack for resurrection. One of the sport’s greatest stars, Henry Royce, died in April 1942, just days after the season’s final British Grand Prix. Sadly, despite its rich history, Belle Vue Speedway was one of the venues which had to close its doors due to the war. This lasted until 1947, when a post-war economy finally encouraged motor racing and the public returned to the sport with renewed enthusiasm. This resulted in a massive rise in popularity for road racing in general, and it wasn’t long before historic venues like Belle Vue were staging some of the most memorable races of all time. In fact, the stadium has since hosted some of the biggest races in automotive history. It was the final year of the original nine-hole course, which was subsequently rebuilt to its current extent of 18-holes. This 18-hole modern incarnation was opened in 1960 and has continued to host events ever since. The list of famous races which have taken place there is endless; it’s been the setting for some of the greatest motorsport moments ever.
It was at this point that the golden era of middleweight motor racing began. The likes of Stirling Moss and John Surtees became household names and are still regarded as among the greatest racing drivers of all time. They blazed a trail for a new breed of driver – one who was unafraid to push their vehicle to the limit in order to prove their dominance. These are the men who were the forerunners of today’s extreme motorsport drivers. The era saw the rise of teams like Lotus and Ford, which dominated motorsport in the 1960s. They were regularly challenging for victories and setting lap records at famous tracks across Europe and the United Kingdom. This was due in no small part to the amount of funding which these businesses were able to dish out for the development of new cars and technologies.
It was during this time that traditional motorsport died off, with the rise of street racing taking its place. The latter can be considered a bastardisation of motor racing, as it was originally meant to take place on public roads and not closed-door tracks. The amount of traffic which motorsport drivers had to deal with on their way to and from events made it increasingly dangerous. This is why many tracks, including those in Germany, banned it altogether. It wasn’t long before NASCAR took over all auto racing in the United States, with the World Championship being held there each year. It wasn’t until the early 2000s that street racing made a comeback, with the advent of social media causing a massive increase in the sport’s popularity. Companies like RaceStar, which was founded in 2010 and is one of Britain’s biggest motorsport marketing firms, attribute this renaissance to social media and online forums. It’s clear that the world of motorsport has changed, but it’s also apparent that classic venues like Belle Vue have not.
Is Belle Vue Up To Date With Modern Racing?
It’s fair to say that Belle Vue Speedway is up to date with modern motorsport in terms of its facilities and its events. The original stadium was built back in the 1920s and has been remodelled a number of times since then. It currently consists of five asphalt running tracks, which are perfectly suited to modern-day motor racing. The stadium has also embraced social media, with each of its 18-holes having its own hashtag so that fans can keep up to date with all of the action via Twitter.
The British Grand Prix was originally held at the stadium in 1929 and 1930. Since then, various other events have been organised there, including the European Grand Prix, which was first staged in 1956. It has also previously hosted the Wales Rally Cup and Formula Ford events. The stadium’s five permanent running tracks are all wide and well-surfaced, which promotes a level playing field for the athletes. It also has an all-weather surface, making it fully accessible for all seasons.
Has The Public Toured The Venue Enough?
Belle Vue Speedway is one of the United Kingdom’s most well-known museums. It also houses a restaurant and bar which are open to the public. This is in addition to the stadium’s galleries, which are open to all. These days, it is likely that even those who aren’t specifically fans of motorsport will have heard of Belle Vue, as it has been featured in numerous documentaries and films. The British automotive press have also referred to it as the country’s “most haunted house of motorsport”. This is probably because of the strange and unexplainable phenomena which have been witnessed there over the years.
It has been stated that the stadium’s location in the middle of nowhere has resulted in many strange sightings by patrons. It’s fair to say that everyone who attends a motorsport event at Belle Vue will have their own unique story to tell about the place. For those who love their cars and motorsport, it’s an incredible venue which will hold a special place in their hearts forever.